Always

13.

The car was now stopped. We weren't talking. Conrad let out a long, loud sigh. Then he hit his steering wheel.

"FUCK!"

He screamed. I flinched away from him. His head looked up at me.

"Viki, what was that?"

He talked calmly. I kept my eyes glued shut while I tool deep breaths.

"Viki I didn't mean to-"

"I know...I know Conrad. You don't know anyway. None of my friends do...And it'll stay that way. For now at least."

"Viki-"

I opened my eyes and looked at him.

"Let's just go in. We are here, right?"

"We are."

I looked out Conrad's car. No. No way.

"Conrad what's your mom's name?"

"Ember. Why?"

I groaned and hit my head on the dashboard.

"Victoria! Don't do that."

Conrad put a hand on my forehead.

"What was that for? You're going to hurt yourself doing that."

"Yeah, I know bright one."

I sassed at him. His hand left my forehead.

"Okay, so you don't want to talk about your trauma or why you just hit your head on my dashboard. Tell me something before we go inside."

"I know your mom. She's like, I guess, one of my friends...that's why I hit my head. But she has 3 kids, Kade and Nirva and another older one. I don't know his name. It's you probably. But Asrael-"

"His real name is Kade. Kade Asrael Bianchi. His dad's last name. Not mom's like Nirva has. I have my dad's last name."

"Oh..."

"Well, shall we go in?"

I nodded. We got out of Conrad's car and started to walk up the driveway. He grabbed my hand and pulled me back.

"Hey, I know you don't want to talk about whatever happened when you were younger...But I want to hear about your whole life. I want to know everything. I want to know what you felt. I want to know you. You. Victoria Red Rivera. I want to know her. I want to know all of her."

I put a hand on Conrad's face and smiled.

"You'll know one day. But it won't be Victoria Red Rivera. It'll be Victoria Erin Rivera's story to tell. Victoria Red Hill was safe. She grew from the past, she found a new life in the same city. But now, I'm Victoria Red Hill Rivera. The best version anyone will get of Victoria. Thank you for your concern, but I don't feel comfortable telling you about her past yet."

"Okay..."

"Okay."

I smiled at him. His hands cupped my face and kissed me.